4 ms·

The self-defence thing absolutely fascinates me. What are you guys so scared of? It's a literal fact that a gun is much more likely to be used to kill its own

The self-defence thing absolutely fascinates me. What are you guys so scared of? It's a literal fact that a gun is much more likely to be used to kill its owner (or a member of the owner's own family) than any intruder or external threat [0] Why is this such a thing in the USA? Why do you guys hold gun ownership up as this amazing freedom when owing a gun is literally, provably, way more of a threat to you and your family than anyone else? [0] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9715182/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9715182/

ty6853 2y ago
A gun is effective for suicide, yeah. We don't have suicide clinics in the states like Europe has, at least that I'm aware of. So people buy guns then off themselves. You have the causation backwards.
- marcus_holmes 2y ago
  Yes, I agree, there's definitely that. I know I would not be alive now if I had easy access to a gun. But the parent is talking about the USA having more self-defence freedoms, and gun ownership is definitely part of that. It's not about suicide, it's that weird "you gotta protect your family" that non-Americans find a bit worrying - what are you so scared of? I've lived in a few countries and nowhere I've lived has this level of fear. I've never felt that I would be safer if I owned a gun. I have no idea who I'd use it against (except myself, obviously).
  - ty6853 2y ago
    I live next to the us-mexico border, in a place with basically no police services. There are (true) signs everywhere warning of cartels roaming, often with automatic weapons diverted from the Mexican military. Maybe they won't ever bother me, but better to have and not need, than the other way around.
    - monkey_monkey 2y ago
      I mean, if the cartel with their automatic weapons come at you, do you really think your stash is going to protect you? Also, lack of police services is probably commensurate with the low levels of taxation that so many Americans desperately want and vote for.
      - fragmede 2y ago
        I'll be super real. The numbers from 2021 say the average American household owns 5 guns. This isn't because the average American really has a gun, but because of the people with 100 guns skewing the numbers. Those people are real, exist, and will give the cartel, and the local police, and a swat team a run for their money, if invaded. The real average American doesn't have an armory that can protect them from the cartel, but if you're the cartel, you now have to spend additional time and money doing research on if hitting some random house in San Antonio, Tx is going to result in a shootout that's going to get a bunch of your cartel members killed.
        totalkikedeath 2y ago
        [flagged]
        ty6853 2y ago
        Half of ar15.com membership would be dead by now, were that the case. Although I imagine a great deal of the 'retards' are feds fishing for conspiracy charges.
        deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
        totalkikedeath 2y ago
        [dead]
        yowzadave 2y ago
  - kennyloginz 2y ago
    Americans have a recent history of slavery. They believe since they would be aggressive if emerging from the same situation, that African Americans would be equally aggressive. Which is why most American own guns…
    - marcus_holmes 2y ago
      Yeah, I've heard this theory before, and it kinda makes sense. Except that there are other countries (most of the Anglosphere, including the UK) that also had slavery, (and/or have confronting relationships with their indigenous population), and don't feel that same fear. Is there something unique about the USA's history with slavery that would cause this?
      - akimbostrawman 2y ago
        Its about owning a farm in the middle of nowhere not slavery. It really is not that hard to understand that people have different worries back when the second amendment was written when the nearest town for protection is weeks away and not hours.
        marcus_holmes 2y ago
        Yeah, interesting. But we don't see the same reaction with Aussie farmers. I mean, most of them do own guns, but that's more about the wildlife...
        akimbostrawman 2y ago
        It does not matter what threat its about protecting or even if its that likely to happen. Its human nature to have things to protection youself and things you care about. Like insurance you never need it until you do but then its too late. “God created man. Sam Colt made them equal.”
        marcus_holmes 2y ago
lurk2 2y ago
You don’t need to ask rhetorical questions if you want to make a statement; it’s incredibly obnoxious and not in the spirit of the forum.
- marcus_holmes 2y ago
  The question is "what are you guys so scared of?" and it's a genuine question, I would love to know what the fear is that drives someone to buy a gun when the plain fact is that buying a gun puts them in more danger. It's not a rhetorical question. The two answers I've read so far are: mexican cartels (ok, but if you don't live on the border what are you scared of?) and "all the other terrified people with guns" which I think is intended to be joking (but many a truth said in jest). If you have a different answer, I'd love to hear it.
autoexec 2y ago
> What are you guys so scared of? All the other terrified people with guns.

ty6853 2y ago

A gun is effective for suicide, yeah. We don't have suicide clinics in the states like Europe has, at least that I'm aware of. So people buy guns then off themselves. You have the causation backwards.

marcus_holmes 2y ago
Yes, I agree, there's definitely that. I know I would not be alive now if I had easy access to a gun. But the parent is talking about the USA having more self-defence freedoms, and gun ownership is definitely part of that. It's not about suicide, it's that weird "you gotta protect your family" that non-Americans find a bit worrying - what are you so scared of? I've lived in a few countries and nowhere I've lived has this level of fear. I've never felt that I would be safer if I owned a gun. I have no idea who I'd use it against (except myself, obviously).
- ty6853 2y ago
  I live next to the us-mexico border, in a place with basically no police services. There are (true) signs everywhere warning of cartels roaming, often with automatic weapons diverted from the Mexican military. Maybe they won't ever bother me, but better to have and not need, than the other way around.
  - monkey_monkey 2y ago
    I mean, if the cartel with their automatic weapons come at you, do you really think your stash is going to protect you? Also, lack of police services is probably commensurate with the low levels of taxation that so many Americans desperately want and vote for.
    - fragmede 2y ago
      I'll be super real. The numbers from 2021 say the average American household owns 5 guns. This isn't because the average American really has a gun, but because of the people with 100 guns skewing the numbers. Those people are real, exist, and will give the cartel, and the local police, and a swat team a run for their money, if invaded. The real average American doesn't have an armory that can protect them from the cartel, but if you're the cartel, you now have to spend additional time and money doing research on if hitting some random house in San Antonio, Tx is going to result in a shootout that's going to get a bunch of your cartel members killed.
      - totalkikedeath 2y ago
        [flagged]
        ty6853 2y ago
        Half of ar15.com membership would be dead by now, were that the case. Although I imagine a great deal of the 'retards' are feds fishing for conspiracy charges.
        deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
        totalkikedeath 2y ago
        [dead]
      - yowzadave 2y ago
- kennyloginz 2y ago
  Americans have a recent history of slavery. They believe since they would be aggressive if emerging from the same situation, that African Americans would be equally aggressive. Which is why most American own guns…
  - marcus_holmes 2y ago
    Yeah, I've heard this theory before, and it kinda makes sense. Except that there are other countries (most of the Anglosphere, including the UK) that also had slavery, (and/or have confronting relationships with their indigenous population), and don't feel that same fear. Is there something unique about the USA's history with slavery that would cause this?
    - akimbostrawman 2y ago
      Its about owning a farm in the middle of nowhere not slavery. It really is not that hard to understand that people have different worries back when the second amendment was written when the nearest town for protection is weeks away and not hours.
      - marcus_holmes 2y ago
        Yeah, interesting. But we don't see the same reaction with Aussie farmers. I mean, most of them do own guns, but that's more about the wildlife...
        akimbostrawman 2y ago
        It does not matter what threat its about protecting or even if its that likely to happen. Its human nature to have things to protection youself and things you care about. Like insurance you never need it until you do but then its too late. “God created man. Sam Colt made them equal.”
        marcus_holmes 2y ago

lurk2 2y ago

You don’t need to ask rhetorical questions if you want to make a statement; it’s incredibly obnoxious and not in the spirit of the forum.

marcus_holmes 2y ago
The question is "what are you guys so scared of?" and it's a genuine question, I would love to know what the fear is that drives someone to buy a gun when the plain fact is that buying a gun puts them in more danger. It's not a rhetorical question. The two answers I've read so far are: mexican cartels (ok, but if you don't live on the border what are you scared of?) and "all the other terrified people with guns" which I think is intended to be joking (but many a truth said in jest). If you have a different answer, I'd love to hear it.

autoexec 2y ago

> What are you guys so scared of? All the other terrified people with guns.